Orphan Black: BBC America Orders New TV Series

by Trevor Kimball, June 26, 2012

BBC America has announced a new science-fiction series called Orphan Black. The cable channel has ordered 10 episodes to start of the hour drama and production is expected to begin this fall in Toronto. BBC America hasn’t announced a premiere date as yet but it will be running on Saturday nights.

Orphan Black “will take viewers through the mysterious life of a street-wise chameleon, who makes the shocking discovery that she is a clone.”

Here’s the press release from BBC America with some additional details:

New York – Tuesday, June 26, 2012 – BBC AMERICA has joined forces with Bell Media’s SPACE on new original sci-fi series Orphan Black. From independent producer, Temple Street Productions, the series, co-created by Graeme Manson (Flashpoint) and John Fawcett (Spartacus) will take viewers through the mysterious life of a street-wise chameleon, who makes the shocking discovery that she is a clone. The series will premiere in the US as part of BBC AMERICA’S Supernatural Saturdays programming block.

Executive produced by Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier for Temple Street Productions, Orphan Black (10 x 60) is co-created by Manson and Fawcett, with Manson also serving as writer and Fawcett as director. Set to begin production in Toronto this fall, the series falls directly in line with genre programming BBC AMERICA and SPACE currently share including the original Being Human, Torchwood and Primeval. BBC Worldwide will distribute the series internationally.

“Orphan Black is a non-stop thrill ride that is a perfect fit for BBC AMERICA’S Supernatural Saturday” says Perry Simon, General Manager, Channels, BBC Worldwide America. “In the talented hands of Graeme Manson, John Fawcett and Temple Street Productions, it promises to be a genre game changer. Move over zombies — send in the clones!”

Corrie Coe, Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media adds “Orphan Blackhas the perfect blend of excitement, mystery and action. We’re delighted that what was initially developed at The Canadian Film Centre by Graeme Manson has found a home on SPACE and BBC AMERICA, and we look forward to working with all our partners to bring this exciting new project to life.”

The latest production to join the popular block of Supernatural Saturday titles – Doctor Who and the original Being Human – Orphan Black follows outsider, orphan and street-wise chameleon Sarah. After witnessing a woman’s suicide, Sarah assumes the strangers identity – who happens to look just like her. Expecting to solve all her problems by cleaning out the dead woman’s savings, Sarah is instead thrust headlong into a kaleidoscopic mystery as she realizes the dizzying truth – she and the dead woman are clones. As Sarah searches for answers, she discovers the chilling fact that there are more people like her out there – genetically identical individuals who were planted in unsuspecting birth parents and nurtured in completely different circumstances. With no idea who created the clones, she’ll need to discover the reason in a hurry as an assassin is killing them one by one. Orphan Black is the latest series to join BBC America’s stable of all-new original programming, along with scripted drama Copper, debuting Sunday, August 19th and Chef Race: UK vs U.S., executive produced by Jamie Oliver.

BBC AMERICA delivers U.S. audiences high-quality, innovative and intelligent programming. Established in 1998, it has been the launch pad for talent embraced by American mainstream pop culture, including Ricky Gervais, Gordon Ramsay, Graham Norton, and successful programming formats including ground-breaking non-scripted television like Top Gear and top-rated science-fiction like Doctor Who. Owned by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, BBC AMERICA has attracted both critical acclaim and major awards including an Emmy(R), five Golden Globes(R) and ten Peabody Awards. The channel attracts one of cable’s most affluent and educated audiences and is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 79 million homes. It broadcasts in both standard and high-definition, with content available On Demand across all major digital platforms. Online, www.bbcamerica.com is the place to go to dig deeper into pop culture with a British twist.

About SPACE

SPACE is Canada’s national science fiction, horror and fantasy channel. SPACE is truly the station for all those who dare to challenge their imagination. SPACE is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. For more information about SPACE, visit spacecast.com.

About Temple Street Productions

Temple Street Productions Inc. is a leading producer of television, film and digital media content based in Toronto, Canada. A selection of Temple Street’s past and present projects includes: BEING ERICA, WINGIN’IT, RECIPE TO RICHES, BILLABLE HOURS, CANADA’S NEXT TOP MODEL, HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE MARIA?, QUEER AS FOLK, and DARCY’S WILD LIFE. For more company information www.templestreetproductions.com, twitter: @TempleStreet or connect on Facebook.